Seeing which Islanders come out with which brand deals once the show is over has become a yearly event. Whether it’s who gets the iconic PLT deal, or who decides to partner with smaller brands, it is always interesting to see what the reality show contestants choose to do next.
We’ve ranked all of this year’s brand deals to come out of Love Island, from worst to best.
Gemma Owen and PLT
Coming in last place has to be Gemma Owen and PrettyLittleThing. When the deal was announced on Instagram, a lot of people were shocked. Some shoppers accused the fast fashion brand of using Indiyah Polack for social media engagement and then offering the deal to Gemma instead.
This collaboration also just doesn’t make sense. Gemma didn’t really wear clothes from PrettyLittleThing on the show and it’s clear her fashion sense doesn’t match that of the brand. Gemma also has her own swimwear brand, OG Beachwear, that prides itself on being sustainable and ethical. So, it’s confusing why she would then partner with a brand known for fast fashion.
Indiyah Polack and PLT Marketplace
Next we have Indiyah Polack and her newest partnership with new platform PLT Marketplace. While I love Indiyah, I’m not sure how much I love this collaboration. The new marketplace is a place to resell old clothes, similar to sites such as Ebay and Depop. While it may encourage some people to shop secondhand, it seems like a prime example of greenwashing.
Greenwashing is a form of advertising where green PR and marketing are used to make the brand appear more environmentally friendly than they actually are.
“Unless they go deeper and deal with the actual issue of their overproduction, heavy use of oil-derived materials, exploitation of workers in their supply chains and quality of their garments, it’s not even scratching the surface,” said Ronaé Fagon, a 30-year-old fashion consultant, in a BBC article.
Paige Thorne and Forever Unique
I don’t love this collaboration, but I don’t hate it. Online fashion label Forever Unique offered Paige Thorne a six-figure deal with themselves and, of course, she took it. It does seem like a good match. Looking at their clothing and the kind of style Paige has, it’s not as out of the blue as Gemma with PLT. The brand is owned by Real Housewives of Cheshire star Seema Malhotra.
Announcing the collab on Instagram, Paige wrote, “So excited to announce my first ever collection with a brand I’ve loved for so long! My partywear collection is everything and more and I’m so excited for you all to see it!”
Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Oh Polly
In third place we have this year’s winner Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and her much-awaited brand deal with fashion giant Oh Polly. This collaboration works so well as Oh Polly is a brand that represents luxury and class – qualities Ekin-Su brought to the Island.
The £1m deal is reported to have been the most expensive to ever come from the show and, in my opinion, Ekin-Su definitely deserves it as she made the show so entertaining. She wears a lot of Oh Polly, particularly their dresses, as we saw on Love Island, so it’s a perfect fit.
Indiyah Polack and Boots
Indiyah has announced not one but two brand deals and obviously this is my favourite of the two. Indiyah’s makeup always looked amazing on Love Island, especially her iconic winged liner. I think this collaboration will really work, especially if it helps create an affordable drugstore makeup range with a wide variety of shades, something a lot of makeup brands lack.
In an Instagram post, Indiyah said, ““Beauty is a huge passion and obsession of mine, so becoming a beauty ambassador for Boots is a dream come true! I spent my time in the villa perfecting my go-to make-up looks, as we were lucky enough to be surrounded by some amazing beauty brands stocked at Boots, including some of my faves like Fenty, No7, NYX and Estée Lauder. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store… and don’t forget, keep it glossy.”
Tasha Ghouri and Ebay
Finally, the winner for me has to be Tasha Ghouri and her collaboration with secondhand marketplace Ebay. As a pre-loved ambassador, Tasha will be promoting sustainability and shopping secondhand, as many of her looks on this year’s show were.
Tasha was definitely the style icon of the year with the best outfits. For the most fashionable contestant to partner with Ebay is making a huge statement and hitting back at fast fashion. No other brand deal can beat it!